Supporting means for conveyer belts



Nov. 13, 1934. J. ZOLLINGER SUPPORTING ME I K NS FOR CONVEYER BELTS Filed May e, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 13, 1934. J. ZOLLINGER SUPPORTING MEANS FOR CONVEYER BELTS Filed May 6, 1955 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 13, 1934 SUPPORTING SgFOR CONVEYERI BELTS John Zo'lfihger; O'akhurst', N. J.

Application 'May 6, 1933,- Serial' No. 669,695

6 Claims. (01. 198-192)" This invention relates to belt conveyers-,--andhas particular reference to the rolls thereof;

Oneobject of the invention is toprovide an improved troug-hing roll fora belt conveyer soas to assure a proper and continuous centering thereof.

Another object'of the invention is the 'provi sion of improved supporting means for-the rolls of belt conveyers, which shall be of a reliable and 1 inexpensive construction.

Another object of the invention is'to-furnish' a carrying roll for belt conveyers having an improved bearing construction therefor.

A further object of theinvention is to" provide 151 a deviceof thecharacter described having relatively few and inexpensive parts, and which ischeap to manufacture, and durable andefiicient inuse;

Other objects and advantages of the invention- 201 will become apparent as the specification pro- 'ceeds.

With the aforesaidobjeots in-view ,'the-inven- ,tion consists in-the' novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described 2'5Itheir preferred embodiments, pointed out in the:

subjoined' claims, and illustrated on the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are-designated by :the same reference characters througliout-the several views.

301. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation with parts" in section and the belt in dot dash-lines, show ing a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalview 3330f areturn roll.

" Fig. 3 is a similar view'of a'troughing roll, and being a left endfragment ofth'at shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a similarview of .fl'section of the troughing roll;

Fig; 5- is a view' in front elevationof'a'modified' end section of a troughing roll.-

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an end section of a troughing roll showing a 4'5Z'fu1'ther modification of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view'of a shaft. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view 'of'a modification of the invention.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the artfto'i 150i which this invention appertain's, that'the same may be incorporated in several difierent constructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, are" submitted merely as showing the' preferred 'exemplification of the invention.

The advantages ofthe invention as hereout a center "and end lined;

and instrumentalities are combined in'one and arebest realized when all of its features the same structure; but, useful'devices-may be produced embodying less-than the whole.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 denotes a device embodying the invention. The same may-include any support' such as a table 11 having on its upper side a trough-ingroll 12 and on its'lower side a return roll 13, whereby an endless b'elt has -its upper'stretch 14 carried on the trou'ghin'g roll and its lower section 15 on the return roll. The troughing roll includes a cen-.

terroll section 16 having a substantially horizontal axis, and end roll sections 17 that are oppositely upwardly inclined at equal angles from the center roll sections, the axes of the different sections" lying'in substantiallythe same vertical plane.

range The end roll" sections have similarly ard'helical projections or ridges 18 that are in the nature of oppositelywound coils, and may desirably'beformed of strip metal coiled for a suitable spacingbetween the turns thereof.

sdcdnstructing the ridges 18, the end sections can be inexpensively produced and have the advanta ge that the spaces between the turns can not: be filled'and clogged up with sand or other material which might'tend to become deposited on the rolls.

The center section lfi'may have a smooth surface,

if. desired, but is preferably formed with ridges of suitable shape, and being desirably of V shape' and successively arranged with the points 20" of the V"s lying in a plane at right angles to the axis of the center 'roll section, and" their sides forming equal opposite anglesv with said plane.

will b It e noted, however, that the directionof the ridges 19' is different from that of'the corresponding adjacent ridges 18 so that, with the belt traveling to cause rotation of sections 17 in the direction' of the arrow 21 causing-the side'portion's 22 of the belt to move inward, the'ridges 19causethe central portions of the belt that are on opposite sides of the center line thereof to travel outward" so as to maintain flat that area of the belt which. lies between theside portions 22.

The return roll 13 may include roll sections 23 having helical coi1s'24*disposed alonga' common axis'and wound in opposite directionsrelatively' to eachother and being otherwise similar to the ridges 7 18 for moving'the' sections of the belt at opposite sides of the centerline thereof toward each otherQ It will be-noted that the means for mounting the returnand the troughing rolls are after:

ny ways similar, as will be describedherein thrust, a collar 52 may be fitted on the shaft for The end and center sections 17 and 16 are spaced endwise from each other, and supporting means such as brackets 24 secured to the member 11 extend upward therebetween for mounting said sections. Each of these brackets has a pair of hub portions 25 and 26, disposed in alinement with the axes of the respective roll sections'16 and 17 and extending thereinto. Secured in the hubs 25, as

by set screws 27 is a shaft 28 for the center roll section, said shaft being thus carriedby both brackets 24. Secured in each hub 26 as by a set screw 29 is a shaft 30 for each end roll section, the,

outer ends of the shaft being preferably free of support, and each shaft 30 being sufficiently rugged to carry its load by a cantilever action. Surrounding each of the shafts 28 and 30 are similar tubes or hollow shafts 31, which extend con-' tinuously through the different roll sections 16, 17. At one end of each tube 31 is a fixed thrust bearing 32 and at the opposite end thereof an adjustable thrust bearing 33, as will be clear from Figs. 3 and 4, wherein Fig. 3 is a left end fragment of the end section shown in Fig. 4. The thrust bearings are preferably of a well known conoidal type for rotatably mounting the tubes on the race 39 is secured to an end portion of the shaft as by a ring 41 split at 42 and enclosed by a sleeve 43 to hold the ring locked in the annular groove 44 of the shaft. The sleeve 43 may have an annu-' lar flange 45 surrounding the shaft and disposed between the ring and the race 39. Between .the

r'aces'38, 39 are disposed the conoidal rollers 46. A cap 4'7 having an opening .43 to receive the shaft and an annular flange 49 removably'fitted in the end of the tube completes the enclosure in conjunction with the cup 36. For lubricating the bearing, a lubricating means or-fitting 50 adapted to be connected to a grease gun is connected to the tube and extends into the cup 36 through an opening 51 therein whereby said enclosure can be wholly filled with lubricant. A construction as above described in connection with bearing'32 is used at one end of each of the shafts 28, 30 with the corresponding tubes 31, and likewise at an end of the return roller as shown in Fig. 2 hereinafter morev particularly referred to. I

' The bearing 33 may be similarly mounted and arranged as the bearing 32 and hence the above description will apply thereto. However, in order to render the bearing 33 adjustable for axial axially'sliding movement therealong. This collar may form an abutment for the inner race member 39. 'It'may extend into the adjacent end of the tube 31 and may have a sealing element such as a felt ring 53 seated in an annular groove 54 of the collar and slidingly fitted on said tube.

' For axially adjusting the collar 52, the following means may be employed. The shaft may have a longitudinal seat 55 disposed along a plane inclined toward the axis of the shaft in the direction of the thrust bearing and having a groove56 extending therealong the inner surface of which may be similarly inclined but at, a somewhat greater angle. A slide member which may be in the nature of a roller such as a ball 57 may be movable along the seat 55 or groove 56 or both, under actuation of an adjusting means such as a set screw 58. Preferably the groove 56 may taper in width toward its shallow end 59 for snugly accommodating the ball with the latter in uniform continuous contact with the sides of the groove. The ball 57 and screw 58 may variously coact with the collar 52for exerting axial pressure thereon toward the thrust bearing 33. The arrangement may be such as to cause said pressure'by reaction against the collar itself. Thus the latter may have an opening 60 for receiving the ball and permitting the same to rest in the groove, and the set screw 58 may be threaded in an adjacent wall of the collar. The set screw may be'at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the axis of the shaft but this angle may be greater or less, and may even be 90 degrees. In tightening the set screw, the ball 57 tends to follow downward along the groove 56 so that the 001 lar follows correspondingly. The main advan-, tageof this construction is that should the thrust bearing become slightly loose, the ball will tend to roll along the groove and automatically take up any resulting play, nor will'there be any tendency for the set screw to loosen. In mounting the device, the thrust bearings 32, 33 are naturally moved into snug axial engagement, and then the collar is slid tightly against the race 39, after which the set screw is screwed up fast. The adjusting means for the thrust bearing 33 is provided at one end of each of the shafts 28, 30 and at one of the shafts for the return roller 23.

For mounting the ridges 19 and 20 on the tubes 31, cylindrical elements or drums 61, 62 may be used, respectively. Thus the ridges 19 may be fitted snugly around the cylinder 61 which ex-- tends continuously through the center roll section 16, and to which said ridges may be welded. The cylinder 61 may in turn be secured to the corresponding tube 31 as by a plurality of annular angle members 63 disposed around the tube and fitted in the cylinder, and welded to these; parts as shown at- 64, 64. The members 63 are preferably positioned adjacent tothe regions of the bearings. To afford access to the corresponding lubricant fittings 50 and set screws 27, the spaces between the turns of the coils or ridges may be in line therewith, and the cylinder having holes 65, 66 alined with the same. The alined drums 62 may be located at the ends, of each end roll section 17 as shown in Figs. 3 and. 4, and may be in the nature of cups opening toward the center of the trough roll. One or more turns of the coil 18 maybe snugly fitted around and welded to each drum, and each may havea wall or annular flange 6'7 fitted around and welded; to an adjacent end of the tube 31 at 68 at the region of the bearings. The fitting 50 is accessible through the coil 18, and the set screw 58 is accessible through the open. end of the corresponding drum 62.; I g

It will now be clear that the inner end bearing of each end roll section 17 has anadjusting; means including elements 57, 58, while each outer end bearing is free of such adjusting'means as shown in Fig. 3. In the caseof the inner roll section 16, one end thereof has a bearing as shown in Fig. 3, and the other end an adjustable bearing as shown inv Fig. 4.

' v The return roll 23 is mounted on a continuous shaft 69 fixed at its ends in the hubs 70 of brackets 71 that maybe secured to the lower side of the member 11. ;Each of the sections 23 is similar in construction to the section 17, except that the drums 62a and 62b face outward, and the tube 3111 may extend continuously through both sections. Bearings such as 32 may be provided at the region of one end drum 62b, and a thrust bearing such as 33 at the region of the opposite end drum 62b, or the thrust bearings may be used at both end drums.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of the invention including an end section 72 of a troughing roll, which is similar to that shown at 17, except that the turns of the ridges 18a form a greater pitch and hence cause a greater lateral centralizing movement of the belt.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification of the invention including a belt carrying roll which may be used for either of the sections 16 or 17, and which is characterized by a helical ridge 181) which affords an accentuated leading edge 73 for centralizing the belt, and a therewith continuous and adequate seating surface '74 for supporting the belt without permitting the leading edge to cut into the fabric of the belt. For example, the turns of the coil may be successively similarly conoidal in shape, the diameters at the leading edges being greater to any desired degree than those at the trailing edges '75. As the belt tends to trough somewhat between the leading and trailing edges, the former have a marked effectiveness. The angle at the leading edge may be sufiiciently large to grip the belt without cutting thereinto. This coil possesses superior strength, and it may also be cast as one piece with a cylinder or shaft.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modification of the invention including a troughing roll having a central section 81 and end sections 82 which are rotatable as shown by arrows 83, with the sections 82 forming an angle in plan view with the central section to facilitate centering of the conveyer belt and guiding of the side portions thereof toward the center. While these sections 81, 82 may be plain they may also be constructed as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, and of course the end sections 82 may be similarly upwardly inclined from the center section 81.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown in the drawings, and that the same are submitted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A troughing roll for belt conveyers including a central horizontal section and end sections upwardly inclined from the end section, the end sections having peripheral helical ridges extending in opposite directions for the different end sections to maintain the belt conveyer centered on the troughing roll.

2. A troughing roll for belt conveyers including a central substantially horizontal section and oppositely upwardly inclined end sections having their axes in the plane of the axis of the central section, said end sections each having a helical peripheral projection forming coil portions that are oppositely inclined for the different end sections.

3. A troughing roll for belt conveyers including a central horizontal section and end sections upwardly inclined from the end section, the end sections having peripheral helical ridges extending in opposite directions for the different end sections to maintain the belt conveyer centered on the troughing roll, the end sections being spaced from the central section, and common supporting means for the central and end sections disposed between the same.

4. A troughing roll for belt conveyers including a substantially horizontal center section, oppositely upwardly inclined end sections, said end sections each having a peripheral helical ridge forming oppositely coiled elements for the different end sections, the central and end sections having their axes in a common plane and being endwise spaced from each other, supporting means in the spaces between the different sections, shafts for the different sections fixed to the supporting means, cylindrical elements fitted in said sections, and bearings between the cylindrical elements and the shafts.

5. A troughing roll for belt conveyers including a horizontal central section and oppositely upwardly inclined end sections, having peripheral helical ridges forming coil portions disposed along opposite equal angles with the vertical to tend to move the side portions of the belt toward the center of the troughing roll, and the central section having peripheral ridges extending in the general directions of the coil portions but in such different relation thereto as to tend to simultaneously move the central portions of the belt outward.

6. A carrying roll for belt conveyers including a peripheral helical ridge for supporting and guiding the belt, said ridge having its outer surface of conoidal form to afford a leading edge for laterally moving the belt.

JOHN ZOLLINGER.

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